Rail anchor



s?i A. BLAIR RAIL lmcao'n Filed lav 12, 192s Patented Aug. `3l, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

ROLANDIS A. BLAIR, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE P. & M. COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RAIL ANCHOR.

Application led May 12, 1923. Serial No. 688,490.

My invention relates to devices for preventlng the longitudinal creep of railroad rails, these devices being commonly called rail anchors, anti-Creepers, or rail stays.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a rail anchor of simple and compact construction, inexpensive to manufacture, which will maintain a reliable hold on the rail as against the tendency of the device to become loosened by vibration or other disturbing influences, and which may be quickly and conveniently put in place onthe ra 1l, or removed therefrom, if occasion requires.

Ay further object of my invention is the provision of a rail anchor which can be used with rails, the 4bases of which are of different width or of different' contour;-

It is a further` object of my invention to provide a rail anchor so constructed that it ma be removed and replaced several times wit out impairing its holding power.

The invention consists in the novel arrangements and constructions to be hereinafter, described and claimed for carrying out the above-stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevational. view of a device embodying the principles of my invention and applied to a section of rail;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device in position on the rail; andl Fig 3 is a perspective view of the dev1ce.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views. l

Referr' now to the drawings, the embodimentuterein illustrated is formed from a slightly resilient steel bar, rectangular in cross-section, which is formed or bent so as to provide a jaw 5 adapted to extend around an over one of the rail base ilanges, for example, the flange 6, a medial portion 7 adapted to extend substantially transversely under the rail base, a shoulder 8 adapted to engage the edge of the rail base ange 9, and a downwardly extending foot-piece 10 ada ted to bear against the side of a tie 11.

Tlie device is applied to the rail by slippin the foot-piece 10 and the adjacent end of t e medial portion 7 under the rail base and hooking the jaw 5 over one of the base flanges. The outer end of the jaw is then. struck with a Sledge and the device is driven transversely of the rail until the shoulder 8 comes into alignment and snaps into engagement with the edge of the other base flange. The jaw 5 and the medial portion 7 are so formed in relation to each other that the distance between the under surface 5a of the jaw and the top surface of the medial portion, when the device is free of the rail, is considerably less than the thickness of that part of the base iiange which lies between said surfaces when the device is in position on the rail. The jaw 5, therefore, must be sprung or forced away from the medial portion 7. when the device is applied to the rail; consequently the jaw 5 exerts a strong downward pressure against the top of the base flange and the medial portion a strongr upward pressure against the bottom of the rail base. Since the medial portion 7 is held with its top surface bearing firmly against the bottom of the rail base, the shoulder 8 is maintained in effective holding engagement with the edge of the flange 9; consequently, the device cannot move transversely of the .rail in the reverse direction to free itself. The tendency of the device to return to its original shape results in a strong, reliable gripping action on the rail base which is ample to prevent any slippage of the device lon itudinally of the rail, notwithstanding t e disturbing influences 'to which the device is subjected due to the passage of heavy rolling stock and Weather conditions.

The jaw 5 is so formed that a clearance is provided between the inner side of said jaw and the adjacent edge of the base flange .6. The tendency of the jaw extremity to remain relatively close to the top surface of the medial portion 7 is great enough to make it possible to apply the device to rail bases relatively narrow in width as well as to rall bases of substantially greater width, also to rails having diil'erent base contours and those of which the base flanges' vary in thickness.

The foot-piece 10 is preferably formed on action which increases the grip of the device on the rail. The foot-pieceis also preferably so positioned that its tie engaging face 1s considerably forward of the forward side 7 of the medial portion 7, having reference to the direction of creepage which is indicated by the arrow Fig. 2; therefore, the skewing action referred to is obtained before any portion of the forward side of said medial portion can bear against the tie.

L prying down the end opposite the jaw and then driving the device transversely from the rail base. After having been removed, it may again be applied to the rail. A

I do not intend to limit my invention to the details of construction shown and described, except only in so far as certain of the appended claims are specifically so limited, as it will be obvious that modifications may be made dwithout departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for preventing the longitudinal creep of railroad rails comprising means extending' substantially transversely under the rail'base, a jaw on one end of said means and adapted to extend. around and over one of the rail base anges, said jaw and means being so formed in relation to each other that said means exerts an upward preure against the bottom of the rail base and said jaw a downward pressure against the top of said flange when the device is applied to the rail, a shoulder on the other end of said means and adapted to engage the edge of the other rail base flange, a tie abutting portion depending from said means, and a portion extending from said means rearwardly withrespect to the direction of creepage and adapted to` bear against the bottom of the rail, for the purpose described.

2. A device for preventing the longitudinal creep of railroad rails comprising means extending substantially transversely under the rail base, a jaw on one end of said means and adapted to extend around and over one of the rail base flanges, said jaw and means being so formed in relation to each other that said means exerts an upward pressure against the bottom of therail base and said Jaw a downward rewire a the top of said flange when e device is applied to the rail, a slolildderten the other end of said meansan ap totheedgeofthe other base a tie abutting portion depending from aid means, at a point adjacent said ahou1der, and a rtion extendingfromsaidmeansre ywithrespect to the direction of creepage and adapted to bear against the bottom of the rail, for the purpose described.

3. A device for reventing the longitudinal creep of rai road rails comprising means extending substantially transversely under the rail base, a jaw on one end of said means and adapted to extend around and over one of the rail base tianges, said jaw and means being so formed in relation to each other that said means exerts an upward pressure against the bottom of the rail base and said jaw a downward pressure against the top of said ange when the device is applied to the rail, a shoulder on the other end of said means and-adapted to engage the edge of the other rail base flange, a footpiece depending from said means at a point adjacent said shoulder, the tie engaging face of said foot-piece being in a plane substantially forward of the adjacent vertical side of said means, anda portion extending from said means rearwardly and adapted to bear against the bottom of the rail, for the purpose described.

4. A one-piece device for preventing the longitudinal creep of railroad rails, compristitl ing a metal bar formed so as to provide a jaw adapted to extend around and over one of the rail base anges, a medial portion adapted to extend substantially transversely under the rail base, a shoulder adapted to engage the edge of the other rail base flange, and a downwardly extending foot-piece'connected with the medial portion adjacent to said shoulder, said jaw and medial portion beiig so formed in relation to each other that said medial portion exerts an upward pressure against the bottom of the rail base and said jaw a downward pressure against the top of the flange adjacent thereto when the device is applied to the rail, the tie engaging face of said foot-piece be' in a plane substantially forward of theuzliizljacent vertical side of said medial portion with respect to the direction of creepage, for the purpose described.

5. A one-piece device for preventing the longitudinal creep of railroad rails, coinprising a metal bar formed so as to provide a jaw adapted to extend around and overl one of the rail base Hanges, a medial portion adapted to extend substantially transversely under the rail base, a shoulder adapted to engage the edge of the other rail base ange, and a downwardly extending tie abutting portion, said jaw andl medial portion be` so formed in relation to each other that sai medial portion exerts an upward preure against the bottom of the rail base and said jaw a downward preure a inst the top o f the dangle adjacent thereto when the device is app led to the rail, said medial portion being bent to provide a portion extendmg rearwardly, with respect to the direction of creepafge, and adapted to bear against the longitudinal creep bf railroad rails, combottom o the rail, for thefpurpose described. prisin'g a metal bar formed so as to provide 6. A one-piece device orI preventing the a jaw adapted to extend around and over one longitudinal creep of railroad rails, comprisofthe rail base flanges, a medial portion ing a metal bar formed so as to provide a adapted to extend substantially transversely jaw adapted to extend around and over one under the rail base, a shoulder adapted to 80 of the railbase flanges, a medial portion engage the edge of the other rail base flange, adapted to extend substantially transversely and a downwardly extending foot-piece adunder the rail base, a shoulder adapted to jacent said shoulder, said jaw and medial engage the edge of the other rail base flange, portion being so formed in relation to each and a downwardly extending tie abutting other that said medialportion exerts an up- 35 portiolr adjacent said shoulder, said jaw and ward pressure against the bottom of the medial portion being so formed in relation rail base andsaidjaw a downward pressure to each other that sald medial rtion exerts against the top of the flange adjacent therean upward pressure against t e bottom of to when the device is applied to the rail, the the rail base and said jaw-a downward prestie engaging face of said foot-piece being 4C sure against the top of the lian e adjacent in a plane substantially forward ofthe adthereto when the device is app ied to the jacent vertical side of said medial portion, rail, said medial portion being bent to prosaid medial portion being bent to provide vide a portion extending rearwardly, with a portion extending rearwardly and adapted ,respect to the direction of creepage, and to bear against the bottom of the rail, for 45 adapted to bear against the bottom of the the purpose described. rail, for the purpose described.

7. A 'one-plece device for preventing `the ROLANDIS A. BLAIR. 

